The Community Development Department is the planning agency for the City of Cambridge.

The mission of the Community Development Department (CDD) is to enhance the character and diversity of the city’s neighborhoods and support sustainable economic growth that expands opportunities for residents, enables a high quality of life within the community, and contributes to a healthy environment. Learn more about the Department.

Features

Envision Cambridge is a community-wide process to develop a comprehensive plan for a more livable, sustainable, and equitable Cambridge, creating a shared vision for our future. The plan will result in recommendations on a broad range of topics such as housing, mobility, economic opportunity, urban form, climate and the environment, and community interaction. Learn more about Envision Cambridge.

The City Council adopted the inclusionary zoning petition, updating the inclusionary housing provisions in the Ordinance. This is the first-time the inclusionary zoning ordinance has been amended since it was adopted in 1998. The amendments will increase the amount of affordable housing in new developments and encourage the development of family-sized units. Learn more about the adoption of the revised Inclusionary Ordinance.

This first-in-the-nation program assists businesses with the removal of architectural barriers that impede access to stores. The City has enhanced and renamed the Façade Improvement Program to emphasize the removal of physical barriers to access. Learn more about the Storefront Improvement Program.